DARRELL Clarke has played the waiting game, rather than the beautiful game, this season.

Now back in the Hartlepool United first-team picture, the midfielder is ready to turn his back on a miserable 2005.

Clarke didn't kick a ball for Pool last season. Two unused substitute appearances at the start of the campaign were all he managed before knee trouble struck.

His last Pool appearance before a welcome return as a substitute in last week's win over Bournemouth was in the play-off semi-final defeat at Bristol City in May 2004.

And you have to go back more than a month earlier, to April 12, 2004, for his last start in a blue and white shirt - when he scored in a 2-1 Easter Monday win at Wrexham.

But now, with his knee and fitness problems behind him, the effervescent midfielder is delighted to be back in the fold. He is likely to be on the bench this afternoon as Pool go to Walsall desperate to build on last week's victory.

"It was very pleasing to get back in the 16 and get a chance last week - it's a start and now I want to progress from here,'' he said.

"I found out when the squad went up last Friday that I was in. It was a bit out of the blue, but I've worked hard, trained hard and played well for the reserves, so you are always waiting and hoping for a chance, thankfully, it finally came.

"I played pre-season against Middlesbrough, scored and thought I'd cracked it, but the gaffer has kept the reins on me and hasn't brought me back too early. I carried on working hard and everyone is going to get their chance at some time.

"I got a good reception which was very nice and everyone knows what I think of the fans at this club, they are first class and have been very supportive of me in the last year or so when I've been out.

"I think I did OK last week, it was a bit hard because it was backs to the walls when I came on with something like 20 minutes to go.

"In that sort of situation all you can do is come on and work hard and I'd like to think that's what I did. You see all the lads running around like they were and wonder if they will tire towards the end, but we dug in and had something to hold onto, especially after losing two home games leading up to it.

"I had a job to do out wide in that situation and it's going to take me some time to get back into it.''

Clarke had made 112 league appearances for Pool since his move from Mansfield in 2001, netting 19 times.

After returning to reserve football towards the end of last season and playing all his football in the Pontin's League this season until last week, Clarke, who turned 28 yesterday, must feel he has played over a century of second string games.

"There's first team football and reserve team football and they are totally different types of games,'' he said. "You can build up match fitness in reserve games, but the problem is that you never know who you are up against - sometimes it's kids, somtimes it's a strong team, but being honest, it's a bit false and nothing like the first team.

"There's the atmosphere thing as well, one man and his dog and even the dog gives out stick sometimes!

"Getting right up there is going to take some time, I haven't played a full game for how long? Certainly not last season. I played in the play-off semi-final at Bristol City and even then I came on as sub.

"It's a long time since I had a full game, probably something like 15 months. I'm a naturally fit lad, but running all day and playing games is different.

"I've been out a heck of a long time. Even last season towards the end I was back in full training, still a little bit tired and training something like 30 per cent down on strength in my right leg, so I was still behind.''

Clarke has had two ill-fated loan spells away from Victoria Park in an attempt to build up his fitness.

First he was injured in his first game for Stockport, suffering an injury that was to set him back ten months.

This season, he went to Port Vale for a month and didn't make a start and the games he was promised under Martin Foyle didn't materialse, so he was set back another couple of month.

"It was almost a year ago when I went on loan to Stockport and lasted 30 minutes in my first game before damaging my knee,'' he added. "I haven't had much luck, so hopefully I can have a better year to come rather than what's gone on.

"There's been a few of us injured and three have come back together - me, Micky Barron and Hugh Robertson - now we all want to see the others come back.

"I really enjoyed my comeback, now I hope there's more to come."

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